ADVANCE CIRCULAR – Linking Tourism Industry with VET to embrace circularity

We applied for this project to address the urgent environmental, social, and economic challenges caused by climate change, rising pollution, and the overuse of natural resources. Global CO₂ emissions continue to increase, highlighting the need for rapid action. The European Green Deal reinforces the EU’s commitment to a more sustainable economy, where the green transition creates new jobs, improves living conditions, and shifts employment toward cleaner sectors. A key part of this transition is the move toward a Circular Economy (CE), identified in the EU Taxonomy as essential for reducing waste and improving resource efficiency. To achieve this shift, workers and organizations need new skills, capacities, and tools. The tourism sector, which strongly depends on natural resources, must reduce its environmental impact and adopt more sustainable practices. VET providers linked to tourism also need to modernize their training to support green skills. Our project addresses these needs by promoting CE principles and developing innovative tools that strengthen sustainability in tourism and equip learners, workers, and SMEs with the competences required for a greener, more resilient future.

The main aim of the project was to foster innovative circular approaches and tools within the tourism sector and its related areas by strengthening transnational cooperation and promoting effective knowledge transfer. The project sought to connect vocational education and training (VET) with the tourism profesionals in order to build shared capacities, improve skills in circular design and thinking, and support the transition toward more sustainable and resource-efficient tourism models. By implementing the project, we aimed to: equip tourism and VET professionals with practical skills and innovative tools for applying circular economy principles; create collaborative learning environments where companies, VET institutions and other stakeholders could jointly experiment with circular solutions; promote interdisciplinary cooperation essential for circularity and increase the sector’s ability to design, implement and scale circular practices; strengthen the alignment between VET systems and the evolving needs of the tourism sector in its transition toward sustainability.Project aimed to contribute to a more resilient, innovative &circular tourism ecosystem by empowering people, improving knowledge flows and fostering collaboration.

We implemented activities to strengthen circular economy (CE) skills in tourism and VET, create practical learning contexts, and support transnational cooperation. Under O1, we carried out two in-depth analyses across four countries, engaging VET institutions and tourism companies, assessing CE readiness, collecting data on practices and challenges, and producing reports with recommendations. For O2, we developed three digital tools: an educational resource translating CE principles into practice, a tool supporting awareness and green skills, and an interactive 5R-based card set for active learning. Partners collaborated in design, review, and EU-level dissemination. Under O3, we created practical learning contexts through a Training Pack (five modules plus self-learning), a transnational Design Thinking programme, and national training sessions offering hands-on CE experience. For O4, we disseminated all tools and materials publicly and organised national and transnational events to share knowledge,to raise awareness and support long-term CE adoption. Together, these activities delivered CE knowledge, practical tools, and applied learning while strengthening cooperation in tourism and VET.

TANGIBLE RESULTS: A) 2 analysis Mapping the Scene&CreatingBridges: a) ”Are we ready for Circularity?”; b) ”Skills for the green and circular transition” B) 3 innovative tools supporting Tourism Industry&VET to act in Circular Economy: - Guidelines:”The CE: Moving from theory to practice” - Skills taxonomy - Digital set of cards based on what are the 5 R’s of CE (Rethink, Redesign, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) C) applicative learning contexts for Tourism&VET experts based on Design Thinking: - Training Pack with 5 modules+a special section ”Digital Self-learning tools”. - 1 Transnational Training Program: ”Tourism&VET in tourism advancing circular-exploring the possibilities”+4 national National training sessions for a balanced mix between VET institutions experts, &company representatives and &other organizations from tourism industry/related fields. They get an overview and potentially new understanding of CE and explore new circular models and how to turn challenges into possibilities using Design Thinking. STRATEGIC RESULT: A relevant partnership promoting CE as one of most important element on Tourism sector&VETinstitutions preparing workforce in this field so that they could make strong steps towards green transition.